Saving keikis from dead mother phal

[arc2404]

My phalaenopsis orchid has died at the base and all of the stems have dried up and gone brown. But I have two keikis on the stems and I'm not sure how to rescue them. They each have two roots - the longest is 2cm and the bigger keiki has four leaves and the smaller one has two, so they still aren't super big but do have roots. Should I remove the keikis from the mother plant? Or I've read you can cut the stems and sit them in water? How can I look after them and do they have much chance of growing bigger? Any advice much appreciated

[Ray]

If they have roots, pot them up!

[Orchid Whisperer]

Those have decent roots.

I would get some smallish pots, 5 cm (2-inch) diameter if possible, certainly no larger than 10 cm. Plastic yogurt cups with added drainage holes will do if no pots are available. Fill each pot half-depth with orchid bark. Clip the flower stem to separate the keikis. I would set each plant on top of the bark, don't try to bury the roots.

Water the plants in their new pots. After watering, let the leaves air dry, and loosely tent a plastic sandwich bag (Ziploc is a familiar brand in the USA) over the top of the plant. Keep the plant where there is light, but no direct sun. Water each time when the bark is nearly dry (maybe a little more often than an adult plant, "when nearly dry" being the key factor).

As you get more roots, you can move the plant into a bit larger pot if needed. A plant should be able to grow to blooming size in a pot no larger than 10 cm diameter.

I've not mentioned fertilizer. It is probably the least important factor in getting your keikis to grow. However, once they have started growing roots and leaves, you can fertilize at the same schedule that works for your adult plants (don't over do it).

Good luck!

[arc2404]

Thank you so much for the detail that's super helpful

[Orchid Whisperer]

You're welcome.

Hope you can update us from time to time on their progress.

BTW, the dead "mother" plant, if the top died, but the roots are still alive, set the pot somewhere shady outdoors. Sometimes the remaining stem will send out a new growth/leaves.

[rbarata]

Key factor is: medium bark, i.e., a size that seems to be a little too big for the size of the plant.

Another technique is to mist at least once/day the roots keeping the keikis where they are (alternatively put them in a humid/warm place).
But with those roots I would pot them.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by rbarata

Key factor is: medium bark, i.e., a size that seems to be a little too big for the size of the plant.

Another technique is to mist at least once/day the roots keeping the keikis where they are (alternatively put them in a humid/warm place).
But with those roots I would pot them.

I disagree regarding the daily mist, unless the bark is nearly dry.

I have Phalaenopsis seedlings that are smaller than these, root mass about the same per plant. I water them 2 or 3 times a week, they have nearly doubled in size compared to when I got them last autumn. My care for the seedlings is similar to the advice I gave, except for loosely tenting a plastic bag over the seedlings, which I don't do (I suspect the OP's humidity might be a little lower than mine, and temperature could be higher, due to location).

[rbarata]

I disagree regarding the daily mist, unless the bark is nearly dry.

Maybe you haven't read/undrestood what I wrote.

...mist at least once/day the roots keeping the keikis where they are...

Keeping then where they are is attached to the mother plant. So, bark condition is not a variable.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by rbarata

Maybe you haven't read/undrestood what I wrote.

...mist at least once/day the roots keeping the keikis where they are...

Keeping then where they are is attached to the mother plant. So, bark condition is not a variable.

I did misunderstand.
I saw your statment about bark, and assumed you meant keeping them in bark.

[rbarata]

I did misunderstand.
I saw your statment about bark, and assumed you meant keeping them in bark.

That's what I thought.
Poting them in bark is another possibility.
I guess it all depends on the growing conditions. My mother has 3 keikis attached to a mother plant for more than 3 years but her house is near the sea and it's always warm in winter.
In my house I doubt I could do this.